End-of-Life Locomotive

110 497, pushing a train of n-type carriages out of Cologne Central.

Her inspection deadline runs out in January 2013, and since she's already on her second deadline extension, it will probably mean a trip to the scrapyard. It's not impossible to grant a third extension, if the machine is in good condition, but that's a rather rare occurrance. With new EMUs freeing up the younger and faster 111s, there is no interest in keeping this 44 year old beast in service. If they still work, they're used for booster trains, empty stock movements or chartered trains. If they develop some kind of fault that would require any sort of major repair, they're sent to the scrapyard. Slowly but surely, the class 110 is slipping into oblivion. This is my most recent shot of one of these, taken nine days ago. Wish they'd still come through my place like before...

Old shots of 110 497:

February 2010 (including a painting by ~aaronboydarts)



November 2008




Interesting fact: This locomotive didn't start out as a regular 110, but as a class 112, painted in TEE colours like so. In fact, Märklin has even released a model of 110 497.